THREE world boxing champions, two each in billiards and wushu, and one in dragon boat, headline  the list of  major awardees to be recognized by the Philippine   Sportswriters Association (PSA) during its March 3 Annual Awards Night at the Manila Hotel.

Reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) flyweight champion Brian Viloria lead the 18  other  personalities who will be honored  for  their achievements in their respective   sports during the gala, where Vice-President Jejomar Binay  serves as speaker and guest of honor.

Fellow  title holders Donnie Nietes (WBO minimumweight) and Ana Julaton (WBO super-bantamweight) join Viloria, 31, as  top honorees  in  boxing, while sanda (sanshou) fighters Jessie Aligaga and  Dember Arcita are the recipients for wushu.

Receiving  it for billiards during the formal affair presented by Smart, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Milo, Harbour Centre, SM Prime Holdings, Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR),  ICTSI, and Coca-Cola, are lady  cue artist Rubilen Amit and  the  indefatigable Efren `Bata’ Reyes.

Also in the limelight are the celebrated  Dragon Warriors, who bagged a  total of   five gold medals  -- all in record fashion -- during the 10th International Dragon Boat Federation  World Championship in Tampa Bay, Florida.

Viloria won a  third world title following  his  12-round unanimous decision win over Julio Cesar Miranda, and then successfully defended it with an impressive eight-round technical knockout of Giovanni Segura.

Julaton retained her WBO super-bantamweight crown with two title  defenses against Francesca  Alcanter in California and Jessica  Villafranca in Mexico, while Nietes captured the WBO light-flyweight crown with a unanimous decision win over Mexican Ramon  Hirales Garcia at the St. La Salle  Coliseum in Bacolod.

Aligaga  and Arcita  accounted for two gold medals in the 11th Wushu World Championship in Ankara, Turkey, even as Amit and Reyes teamed up anew to retain  the   World  Mixed   Doubles Championship by whipping the U.S. tandem of  Johnny  Archer and  Jeanette  Lee in  the  final, 10-6, in Hangzhou, China.

PSA  president Rey Bancod of Tempo announced that other major awardees in the two-hour long rite yearly staged by the country’s oldest  media organization, composed of editors and sportswriters from the different national broad sheets and tabloids, are reigning PBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Jimmy Alapag (pro basketball) and his MVP counterparts in  the amateur, Calvin Abueva of  San Sebastian (NCAA) and Bobby Ray Parks (UAAP).

Completing the major awards list are golfers Jhonnel Ababa (pro)  and  the   duo of Dottie Ardina and Rupert  Zaragosa (amateur), Olympic qualifier Mark Anthony Barriga (amateur boxing), Horse of the Year Magna Carta  (horseracing), Jockey of  the Year Jesse Guce (horseracing), Kenneth  San  Andres (motocross), and Malvinne Ann Alcala (badminton).

Together, all   major awardees share centerstage with boxing champion Nonito Donaire Jr. and no. 1 world  billiards player Dennis Orcollo, who are   named as co-winners of the prestigious PSA Athlete of the Year honor.

Not  to be  forgotten are the 36 gold  medal winners in the 26th Southeast Asian Games, who are going  to be given special citations                       

PSA Awardees:

Athletes of the Year: Dennis Orcollo, Nonito Donaire Jr.

Major awardees: Brian Villoria (pro boxing)

Ana Julaton (pro boxing)

Donnie Nietes (pro boxing)

Mark Anthony Barriga (amateur boxing)

Efren `Bata’ Reyes (billiards)

Rubilen Amit (billiards)

Jessie Aligaga (wushu)

Dembert Arcita (wushu)

Dragon Boat team

Jimmy Alapag (pro basketball)

Calvin Abueva  and  obby Parks Jr.(amateur  basketball)

Jhonnel Ababa (pro   golf)

Dottie Ardina  (amateur golf)

Rupert  Zaragosa (amateur golf)

Magna Carta (Horse of the Year)

Jesse Guce (Jockey of the Year)

Kenneth San Andres (motocross)

Malvinne Ann Alcala (badminton)